Conveyer



May 6, 1941 F. CARTLIDGE CONVEYER Filed March 31, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 6, 1941.

F. QARTLIDGE CQNVEYER Filed March :51, 1959 4 Shets-Sheet 2 May 6, 1941. F. CARTLIDGE CONVEYER Fil'd March 51; 1939 4 Shegts-Sheec 4 M We Patented May 6, 1941 CONVEYER Frank Cartlidge, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporationof Illinois Application March 31, 1939, Serial No. 265,103

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in conveyers, and more particularly to an improved form of extensible hopper at adjacent ends of two conveyers arranged to discharge from one into the other and of the type particularly adapted for use on machines for loading material in confined spaces such as coal mines.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a novel and simple form of extensible hopper between adjacent ends of two conveyers arranged in cascade relationship with respect to each other, for maintaining the side walls of said conveyers in closed relation with respect to each other in order to prevent spilling of material from the receiving'conveyer when said conveyers'are horizontally moved to various desired angular positions of adjustment with'respect to each other, and arranged to prevent trapping of loosematerial at the receiving end of the receiving conveyer and to provide a greater storage capacity for material at the receiving end of the receiving conveyer than formerly.

Another object of my invention is to provide a widened hopper guided for movement about one conveyer which is of a simpler, more compact form than former hoppers of this type, and which is arranged to eliminate the use of tensioning means for the side walls of the hopper.

My present invention is somewhat similar to that shown in a prior application Serial No; 244,870, filed by William W. Sloane on December 10, 1938, but difiers therefrom in the arrangement of the flexible side walls of the hopper, in that the use of tensioning members for the flexible side walls is made unnecessary, and the side walls are so arranged as to provide an increased capacity for storing material at the receiving end of the receiving conveyer.

My invention may be more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a loading machine, showing a flexible hopper constructed in accordance with myinvention as apart thereof;

Figure '2 is an enlarged plan view of the machine shown in Figure 1, with the' extreme front and rear parts of the machine broken away;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the central portion of the machine, with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in horizontal section, illustratingin detail the hopper. arrangement between thetwo conveyers, and showing the conveyersin one'po' sition of adjustment;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary'view in side elevation of the central portion ofthe machine, with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in longitudinal section;

in longitudinal section than in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the central portion of the machine, drawn to a slightly larger scale than Figure 3 and with certain other parts broken away and shown in horizontal section than in Figure 3;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 1-4 of FigureB; V Figure 8 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 8-8 of Figure 3, and drawn to a slightly smaller scale than Figure 7;

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail perspective view of one'of the side wall sections of the extensible hoppers; and I r g Figure 10 is an enlarged detail perspective view of another side wall section of the extensible hopper. i I

In the drawings, the embodiment of my invention illustrated is shown in connection with a loading machine of the track mounted type particularly adapted for gathering and loading coal in mines. This machine is constructed along lines somewhat similar to that illustrated in a prior application Serial No. 208,969, filed by me on May 20, 1938, now Patent No. 2,201,334, so will not herein be shown or described in detail, excepting to point out that it includes generally a track mounted truck l0 having an elevating conveyer I l projecting forwardly from the forward end thereof and a receiving conveyer l2 projecting rearwardly beyond the rear end of said truck and'having its receiving end disposed beneath the discharge end of said elevating conveyera j The elevating conveyer ll is mounted-for verti cala'djust'ment about a transverse" axis disposed at the forward" end ofthe machine and forwardly of its discharge end, to permit elevation of the forward end of said conveyer above the ground, and the entire conveyer is swingable by power about a vertical axis disposed adjacent the forward'e'nd of the truck I0, to permitthe; athering of ni-aterialifrom'places spacedlaterallyirom the mine rails; .The' rearor discharge endof :said

' elevating conveyer isherein shown as being fixed from vertical movement with respect to the receiving conveyer and is arranged in cascade relationship with respect thereto.

I'he elevating conveyer H is herein shown as a chain flight conveyer of a type well known to those skilled in the art and includes a pair of side frame member I6, l6 which form side walls therefor, which are connected together by a bottom plate 11. The material moving elements of the conveyer include a pair of endless chains I8, l8 having spaced apart flights l9, l9 carried therebetween.

The receiving conveyer |2 includes a forward receiving or hopper portion |3 having a rear discharge portion |4 pivotallymounted at the rear end thereof on a transverse shaft to permit vertical adjustment of said rear discharge portion of said conveyer. Said shaft is mounted at its ends between side frame members 2|, 2| of said receiving conveyer.

The discharge portion M of said receiving conveyer includes a pair of spaced apart side frame members 25, having a bottom plate 26 mounted therebetween. Material is moved along a bottom plate 22 of said receiving portion of said conveyer and along the bottom plate 26, between the side walls 2|, 2| and 25,25, towards the discharge end of said receiving conveyer, by means of a center strand endless chain 23 having spaced apart flights 24, 24 projecting laterally therefrom in opposite directions.

Referring now in particular to certain of the novel features of my invention and the widened flexible hopper between the elevating and receivin conveyers, arranged .to provide a storage space for material at the receiving end of the receiving conveyer I2 and to prevent the spillage of material over the sides of the receiving conveyer when said conveyers are in operation and are in various positions of horizontal-swinging adjustment with respect to each other, said hopper consists of two sets of interconnected flexible side walls, generally indicated by reference characters 36, 33, and a bottom plate 21 forming a support and guide for said side walls. Said side walls are pivotally connected to opposite sides of the discharge end of the elevating conveyer H to follow said conveyer upon swinging movement thereof, and are guided for movement about the forward end of the receiving conveyer by means of the bottom plate 21. Said plate extends around the forward end and along the sides of a the receiving end |3 of the receiving conveyer I2 and is mounted on the tops of the side frame members 2|, 2| and on a forward end 28 of the frame for said receiving conveyer (see Figure 5). Said plate, as herein shown, is of a substantially U-shaped formation and has an arcuate-shaped forward end and outer sides, conforming to the arc ofhorizontal swinging movement of the elevating conveyer I and gradually converging into the sides of said receiving conveyer. v

A guide 3| for the flexible side walls 36, 36 extends around the outer periphery of theplate 21 and is formed from a member 29 which is in the form of a segment of a gring'atnd conforms to the form of the outer periphery of the forward portion of the plate 21. Said member, as herein shown, is of asubstantially an ular cross section having a vertical leg spaced from and extending around the periphery of the forward end :of said plate, and a horizontal leg having an integrally formed gibbed-portion 30 which abuts and extends around the underside of said plate (see Figure 5). Said member is secured to said p'late'by means of nuts and bolts indicated by reference character 32. The vertical leg of said member, with the outer periphery of the plate 21 and the inner side of the gibbed portion 30, forms the channelled guide 3| extending around the forward end of said plate. If desired, suitable openings (not shown) may be provided in the bottom of said guide to permit material to drop therethrough.

The rear ends of the plate 21 extend along the side wall 2|, 2| of the receiving portion of the conveyer I2 and converge towards said side walls (see Figures 3 and 6). The walls of the hopper beyond'opposite ends of the member 29 are formed by upright stationary wall members 42, 42 which project upwardly from and, in the form shown, are secured to said plate adjacent the outer sides thereof. Said wall members extend rearwardly along said plate from the ends of the member 29 to the rear ends of said plate, and converge towards said conveyer as they extend rearwardly therealong.

The guide 3| is continued along the wallmembers 42, 42 by means of members 43, 43 which are secured to the outer sides of the side walls 2|, 2| by means of suitable machine screws. Each of said members has a laterally projecting portion 44, the upper surface of which is in alignment with the bottom of the channelled guide 3|. Said members are also each provided with spaced apart guiding members 45, 45, projecting upwardly from the outer sides of the laterally extending portion 44, and forming a support for a guide strip 46.

Each flexible side wall 36 includes a plurality of side wall sections 33 and 34 pivotally connected together by vertical pivotal pins 39, 39 extending through interleaving formations 35 and 31 projecting from opposite ends of each of said sidewall sections. Lower guiding ends 43 and 4| of said side wall sections 33 and 34 respectively are provided to ride in the guide 3| and are curved to conform to the form of said guide to close the portion of said guide in which said guiding ends ride (see Figures 9 and 10).

Each stationary wall member 42 is provided with an outwardly flared upper portion 4! to prevent material from being carried by the side walls 33 and 34 into the guide 3|, as said side walls move in a rearward direction. Said flared portion extends angularly upwardly and outwardly from the upper end of said respective wall member and conforms to the form of upper outwardly flared sides 48 and 49 of the side wall sections 33 and 34 respectively. A channelshaped-guide 50, open towards the ground, is formed at the upper end of said flared portion of said wall member and forms a guide for the upper flared parts 48 and 49 of said respective side walls.

The ends of the outwardly flared portions 45, 49 of the side wall sections 34, 34, which engage the flared portions48, 48 0f the side wall sections .33, 33, are tapered a slight amount and are fcnned so said fla ed por ns will have continllous wiping engagement with the upper sides f h outwardly fla e porti ns 48, 48 of adj cent side wall sections 33, 33, in all positions of djustment of th 'cqn ye The fla d p ons 49., 4.9 will thus wipe loose material from the flared portions 4 B and prevent the foulns of material between said side wall s ctions. E ch side 'wall sec ion3-3 is pr v d d with a stop 53 extendin a on -the central portion or the upper side of the outwardly flared portion 48 thereof. Said stop is adapted to be engaged by the e'nds of the outwardly flared portion" 49 of "the next adjacent "side wall'section 34, to limit pivotal movement of said wall sections with respect to'ea'ch other when one side of the extensible hopper is being retracted alongthe side of the receiving conveyer I2. Said stops thus prevent movement ofsaid side wall sections to such a position that the flared portions 48 and 49 will tend to spread apart and prevent the fouling of material between adjacent side wall sections. The flexible side walls 36, 36 are pivotally connected to opposite side walls l6, [6 of the conveyor II by means of links 54, 54, which are pivotally connected to brackets 55, 55 projecting outwardly from opposite side walls l6, l6 of said elevating conveyer, adjacent the rearward end thereof (see Figures 3 and 4). Said links are in turn pivotally connected to the side wall sec tions 33, 33. The flexible side walls '36, 36 will thus follow the elevating conveyor H in the guide 3l upon horizontal swinging movement of said conveyerand close the gaps between the side walls l6, l6 and 25, 25 in all positions of adjustments of the conveyer H with respect to the conveyer I2. I w v V H I It may thus be seen that the side wall-sections .33 and 34, guided in the channelled guide 3] and pivotally connected together and to opposite sides of the discharge end of the elevating conveyer II, form a widened closed flexible hopper between adjacenten'ds of the conveyers I l and 12 which follows the two conveyers during swinging movement thereof, and Which' is arranged to provide an increased storage capacity for material at the receiving end of the receiving conveyer, but which gradually merges into the sidesof said conveyer and thus eleminates cornersor congested areas at the receiving end of. the conveyer and prevents the clogging of material at said receiving end. It may likewise be .seen that the individual side wall Sections are so arranged as to have outwardly flared upper portions having wiping engagement with each other to reduce the possibility of the fouling of material between said side wall sections; that said flared portions are extended over and beyond the sides of the plate 2! and the channelled guide 3|; and that the portion of said channelled guide where material might lodge isclosed by'the lower ends of said side walls.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore. I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the specific embodiment illustrated, except ng as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a conveying mechanism, two conveye s. one of which is horizontally swingable with respect to the other and arranged to dischar e into the other, a guide extending around the forward end of and along the s des of the receiving conveyer, and a plurality of flexible side walls for closing the gaps between the side walls of said conveyers including a plurality of wall sections pivotally connected together and guided for movement in said guide. said wall sections having pivotal connection with opposite sides of said movable conveyer and each including an upright side terminating into an outwardlyand upwardly flared portion, the 'flarediportions of one of said sections overlapping and having wiping engagement with the flared portions of the next adjacent sections.

2. In a conveying mechanism, two conveyers, one of which is adapted to discharge into the other, the discharge conveyer being mounted for lateral pivotal movement towards opposite sides of the receiving conveyer, a guide extending around the receiving end of the receiving conveyer and rearwardly along opposite sides thereof, a flexible hopper slidably guided by said guide and closing the gaps between said discharge and receiving conveyers and including a pair of flexible side walls, a pivotal connection between each of said side walls and one side of said discharge conveyer, and said side walls including a plurality of vertically extending rigid side wall sections pivotally connected together in'end to end relation with respect to each other and having guiding engagement with said guide at their lower ends, for extensible and re tractible movement along the sides of said discharge conveyer upon lateral swinging movement thereof.

3. In a. conveying mechanism, two conveyers, one of which is adapted to discharge into the other, the discharge conveyer being mounted for lateral pivotal movement towards opposite sides of the receiving conveyer, a guide extending around the receiving end of the receiving conveyer, a flexible hopper having connection with the discharge conveyer and guided along said guide for movement about the receiving conveyer and including a pair of flexible side walls, each of said side walls having pivotal connection at one of its ends with one side of said discharge conveyer and including a plurality of side wall sections guided by said guide at their lower ends and pivotally connected together in end to end relation with respect to each other, said side wall sections each having a vertical wall portion and an outwardly flared retaining portion and said outwardly flared retaining portions having wiping engagement with each other in all positions of adjustment of said conveyers.

{1. In a conveying mechanism, two conveyers, one of which is adapted to discharge into the other,.the discharge conveyer being mounted for lateral pivotal movement towards opposite sides of the receiving conveyer, a guide extending around the receiving end of the receiving conveyer, a flexible hopper having connection with the discharge conveyer. and guided along said guide for movement about the receiving conveyer and including a plurality of side wall sections closing a portion of said guide and guided for movement therealong, said side wall sections being pivotally connected together and to opposite sides of said discharge conveyer and each having an arcuately formed lower end conforming substantially to the arc of said guide.

5. In a conveying mechanism, two conveyers, one of which is adapted to discharge into the other, the discharge conveyer being mounted for lateral pivotal movement towards opposite sides of the receiving conveyer, an arcuate guide extending around the receiving end and along the sides of the receiving conveyer, and a flexible hopper having connection with the discharge conveyer and guided along said guide for movement about the receiving conveyer and including a plurality of side wall sections guided for movement along said guide and pivotally connectedtogether and to opposite sides of said discharge eonveyer, and each of said side wall sections having an arcuately formed lower end conforming substantially to the arc of said guide and adapted to have engagement with and close a portion of said guide, a vertically extending wall portion and an outwardly and upwardly flared retaining portion, and said flared retaining portions of said wall sections being adapted to have slidable engagement with each other in all positions of lateral swinging movement of said conveyers.

6. In a conveying mechanism, two conveyers, one of which is adapted to discharge into the other, the discharge conveyer being mounted for lateral pivotal movement towards opposite sides of the receiving conveyer, a guide extendin around the receiving end of and along the sides of the receiving conveyer, and a flexible hopper having connection with the discharge conveyer and'guided along said guide for movement about the receiving conveyer and including a plurality of side wall sections guided for movement along said guide and pivotally connected together and to opposite sides of said discharge conveyer, and each of said side wall sections having a lower end adapted to have engagement with said guide, a vertically extending wall portion and an outwardly and upwardly flared retaining portion, and the outer sides of certain of said flared portions of certain of said wall sections having slidable wiping engagement with the inner sides of opposite next adjacent wall sections, in all positions of lateral swinging movement of said conveyens with respect to each other.

7. In a conveying mechanism, two conveyers, one of which is adapted to discharge into the other, the discharge conveyer being mounted for lateral pivotal movement towards opposite sides of the receiving conveyer, a guide extending around the receiving end of the receiving conveyer and conforming to the path of swinging movement of the discharge conveyer, and a widened flexible hopper guided along said guide for movement about the receiving end of the receiving conveyer and including a plurality of side wall sections guided for movement alon said guide and pivotally connected together and to opposite sides of said discharge conveyer,

each of said side wall sections having a lower end adapted'to engage said guide, a vertically extending wall portion and an outwardly and upwardly flared retaining portion, and the outer sides of certain of said flared portions of certain of said wall sections having slidable wiping engagement with the inner sides of the flared portions of opposite next adjacent wall sections in all positions of lateral swinging movement of saidconveyers with respect to each other, and said next adjacent wall sections having stops thereon adapted to be engaged by the ends oi said flared portions of said intermediate wall sections.

8. In a conveying mechanism, two conveyers, one of which is adapted to discharge into the other, the discharge conveyer being mounted for lateral pivotal movement towards opposite sides of the receiving conveyer, a guide extending around the receiving end of said receiving conveyer, a widened flexible hopper guided along said guide for movement about the receiving end of the receiving conveyer and including a pair of flexible side walls, each of said side walls having pivotal connection atone of its ends with one side of said discharge conveyer and being guided in said guide for movement around and along a side of saidreceiving conveyer and including a plurality of movable side wall sections pivotally connectedtogether in end to end relation with respect to each other, said movable side wall sections each having a vertical wall portion and an outwardly flared retaining portion and said flared retaining portions of said side wall sections being arranged to have slidable engagement with each other in all positions of said conveyers with respect to each other, stationary wall portions'extending along opposite sides of said receiving conveyer and converging to the sides of said receiving conveyer as they extend therealong, said channelled guide extending along the outer sides of said stationary wall portions, and said stationary wall portions having outwardly and upwardly flared portions conforming to the form of the flared portions of said wall sections, and guides at the upper ends of said stationary wall sections extending over the tops of the flared portions of said" movable wall sections to form a guide therefor and to prevent said wall sections from carrying material beyond said wall portions.

FRANK CAR'ILIDGE. 

